FCC High Cost Program gets new ISP vetting rules
The Rural Broadband Protection Act, an oversight bill for the FCC's High Cost Program, has been signed into law. This legislation establishes a vetting process for internet service providers participating in the federal program.
Key Takeaways
- The Rural Broadband Protection Act is now law.
- The bill creates a vetting process for internet service providers participating in the FCC's High Cost Program.
- The legislation is framed as an oversight bill for the federal program.
Why It Matters
The immediate effect is procedural: ISPs participating in the FCC's High Cost Program will face a new vetting process. That adds another compliance step to a federal broadband subsidy program that sits inside the FCC's broader High Cost framework. For streaming and pay-TV operators, the relevance is indirect but real: the law affects the infrastructure path for rural connectivity, which can shape access quality in markets where broadband is already limited. What to watch next is how the FCC defines and applies the vetting process for participating providers.
Read full article at law360.com